Kara Jenkins, chairman of Nevada’s Equal Rights Commission, announced Monday that she will run for Las Vegas mayor, one of the state’s most visibly elected offices.
Jenkins, 43, is at least the second candidate to officially replace Mayor Carolyn Goodman after Goodman’s third and final term in 2024. Councilor Cedric Crear said in March he would also seek the seat.
Either Crear or Jenkins would become the first black mayors in the city’s history if elected.
Jenkins’ decision to launch an “accessible campaign” for the bipartisan city council comes after she said she spent several months exploring the move, listening to workers and business owners “dealing with the uncertainty surrounding COVID deal with it and navigate the interface between occupational safety and staying open. ”
In a statement, Jenkins pledged to be an inclusive figurehead on the seven-member council who is the right candidate to tackle difficult issues such as the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and “lead our city into a recovery that works for all” .
“As we begin to create a new normal, I have been told time and again by the beautiful people of this city – where I call my home – that we want to achieve all of this with the support of results-oriented leadership,” she said in the statement , quoting her experience as a civil servant and mediator.
According to her biography, Jenkins served as the Southern Nevada Director of Access to Healthcare Network, a nonprofit that provides resources to marginalized groups such as immigrant families and low-income families.
She was appointed by the then governor. Brian Sandoval, a Republican, as the state ombudsman in 2011, who assisted in disputes between homeowners and directors of the homeowners association, and was later appointed administrator of the state’s Equality Commission.
Her role on the Commission continued under Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak, who was elected to office in 2018. She also serves on a nationwide Sexual Harassment Prevention Task Force.
Jenkins said her experience under two governors from different political parties was “evidence of their bipartisan pragmatic work ethic”.
She holds a law degree from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans and is an alumna of Harvard Kennedy School of Government, according to her bio, which also shows her focus on creating affordable housing for Las Vegas families.
“We have a long way to go to new leadership; The way is clear, however, ”she said.
Contact Shea Johnson at sjohnson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ on Twitter.
